Beeper or Bell?

[QuailHollow]

After this past weekend of hunting, I have been toying around with the idea of getting a Beeper collar for the dogs when out hunting. Does anyone out there have a preference of Bell over Beeper? .. or a specific brand of add-on that folks like best?

The $130 dollar SportDOG version is remote operated, rechargeable, and you can add on.
The $80 dollar SportDog version is manual on/off and battery operated.
The $120 dollar Tritronics version is remote operated, battery operated, and has the hawk screamer?

Is this about right?

[Sharon]

I prefer a beeper. I can hear it better. Does Tritronics still sell a separate beeper? I use a Dogtra 2500 beeper/e collar. Very happy with it.

( Can be turned off and on, only used when you want to etc..)

[ddoyle]

I would recommend getting one with remote control.....I only need it in certain cover and would be nice to be able turn on and off......sadly I realize that now!

[Devilscreekw]

Have used beepers now for many years. Still have an old Sonic that I hope lasts forever. My hunting partner has a Tritronics. It's great having the two totally different sounds coming at different rates.

Nothing worse than hunting two dogs wearing bells. Especially if one is a real close worker. You can't hear the second bigger running dog (usually mine) at all. Drives me nuts.

[cjhills]

Plus you can't hear the bell when the dog stand still...........................Cj

[deseeker]

I've got a friend that uses both bell and beeper---hunts with the beeper on point only mode, that way when the bell goes silent, the beeper starts because the dog is pointing.

[Grange]

I'm a big fan of a bell. You can tell so much more about you dog with a bell than you can with a beeper. As others have said, the bell goes silent on a point so finding a dog on point isn't as easy as it is with a beeper.

[Sharon]

Grange: What more can you tell with bell rather than a beeper? Just interested to know.

[Pepper]

I am using the bell on my pup right now and when the times comes, I will switch to a e-collar w/vibrator and with attached beeper. I want her to get experience in the field before the formal stuff begins. I am letting her be a pup and she is having a blast.

[Roccus]

I'm a traditionalist and hunt my medium range setter with only a bell (a loud one). I've had little or no trouble locating the dog on point because I'm aware, maybe subconsciously, of the bell all the time and know where to go when it stops. I often hunt with a friend who has a pointer with bell and beeper and the bell tones are different enough so I can distinguish between them. Unfortunately my friend likes to talk too much while hunting and I occasionally have to shut him up. My pet peeve is hunters who insist on constant beeping especially with the hawk call on. This is absolutely idiotic.

[aulrich]

two questions

How did you condition the dog to wearing the beeper

does the hawk scream actually help pin birds

[Grange]

Grange: What more can you tell with bell rather than a beeper? Just interested to know.

Once I get to know the bell the way it sound as well as how loud gives me a lot of information. I can tell if she's moving fast or slow, if she's working scent, her pattern, and her range. With a beeper the only thing I can tell is her range.

[bonasa]

I condition the dog to the bell. This is accomplished by working a dog with a bell on in front of the young dog repeatedly. Then the young dog wears the bell on field workouts, and finally while hunting. I have found the hawk scream (tri-tronics anyway) spooks grouse and even woodcock. My dogs wear a bell and a GPS .

[Sharon]

Grange: What more can you tell with bell rather than a beeper? Just interested to know.

Once I get to know the bell the way it sound as well as how loud gives me a lot of information. I can tell if she's moving fast or slow, if she's working scent, her pattern, and her range. With a beeper the only thing I can tell is her range.

Thanks.